Last week, we asked ADHD Online staff to describe their experience with ADHD in 140 characters or less. Many of the responses mentioned how ADHD can be distracting or result in procrastination tendencies. While it’s true that many symptoms of ADHD can disrupt daily life, our mission at ADHD Online is to help people manage their symptoms and, ultimately, empower them to reach their full potential. Here are five examples of how ADHD can become your superpower: 

Creativity

• People with ADHD have very active minds and can come up with new ideas or ways of accomplishing tasks that others may not think about. Not everyone has the ability to think outside the box and create innovative solutions. 

High Energy

• A defining symptom of ADHD is hyperactivity. While many immediately think of negative disruptions in the classroom or at work, this behavior can be seen in a positive context. Those with ADHD often excel in sports or other physical activities. Having high energy to burn can help those with ADHD thrive in the appropriate environment.

Hyperfocus

• Hyperfocusing is a state in which someone with ADHD can focus on a task for hours on end, essentially tuning out everything around them. It often happens if the individual is performing a task that they enjoy and find interesting. While hyperfocusing, performance is improved, and work can be done with high levels of efficiency.

Intuition

• The average brain sorts and filters around 40 bits of information per second. Each incoming bit is a sense – sight, sound, taste, smell or physical sensation – that needs to be recognized, categorized and prioritized. Often, someone with ADHD has sensory overload and analyzes extra information that others perceive as irrelevant, resulting in an intuition-like characteristic. 

Resiliency

• Living with ADHD has many challenges that must be tackled each day. People with ADHD experience setbacks and adversity in school, at work and at home. Identifying these obstacles and working past them builds resilience. While this can be frustrating at times, building resiliency results in a solutions-based mentality and increased adaptability. 

When left undiagnosed and untreated, ADHD is a disorder that can have detrimental effects. However, by seeking care and utilizing a treatment plan, symptoms can not only be managed, but turned into strengths. If you or someone you love is struggling with ADHD, reach out to our team today to unlock these superpowers.